David Hardin concentrates his practice in the areas of wills, trusts and estates, corporate law and real estate law. His professional practice focuses on advising individual and corporate clients with... Read More »

Elena K. Weitz, Esq. is a senior associate at Grayson and Associates, focusing her practice on all aspects of family, divorce and post-divorce matters including child support, alimony, custody, and domestic violence, in addition to providing legal services related to general civil litigation, contract, estate and municipal matters. Ms. Weitz has been with Grayson and Associates since 2007. Prior to that, Ms. Weitz practiced for two years at that law office of Bonny G. Rafel, LLC, engaging in the practice of federal law related to ERISA and individual disability benefits.

I have been practicing law since 1983, admitted in NJ and NY. A graduate of Rutger's Law School, I practice in the areas of elder law, estate planning and administration, special needs planning, probate and guardianship litigation, family law, mediation and collaborative law. Before attending law school, I worked for the Social Security Administration adjudicating claims for benefits under the Social Security, SSI, Medicare and Medicaid programs. I served as law clerk to Hon. Herbert S. Alterman, J.S.C. I am board-certified as an elder law attorney. I am also accredited by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to prepare, present...

Derek J. Soltis, Esq. is graduate of Rutgers School of Law Newark and an admitted attorney in the State of New York. Mr. Soltis also has an MBA in Management Systems with an International Business Designation from Fordham University Graduate School of Business and a Master of Science in Information and Communication Systems where he specialized in System Dynamics. While at Fordham Mr. Soltis graduated in the top 10% of class and was enrolled in Phi Kappa Phi the Collegiate Honor Society and Beta Gamma Sigma the Business Honors Society. Mr. Soltis's undergraduate degree is a BBA from the University...

I concentrate my practice in Elder Law, which encompasses, but is not limited to, Estate and Trust Planning, Estate Administration, Asset Preservation and Protection, Disability and Special Needs Planning, Guardianship, and Medicaid.

My firm is completely client focused, and I do everything that I possibly can to give my clients the best experience possible. At Hynes Law Group, we are focused on creating lasting relationships by helping our clients to plan for all stages and ages. We are dedicated to serving our clients, providing them sound legal advice, empathizing with their needs, and working with their loved ones and...

James Estabrook has devoted most of his thirty years with the firm attending to the legal requirements of privately held businesses. Jim has developed several areas of emphasis including federal and state... Read More »

PARAG P. PATEL, ESQ. is a tax attorney with the Patel Law Offices in New Jersey. Mr. Patel’s practice concentration is in tax, business transactions, international tax planning and estate planning. Mr. Patel’s expertise is in all stages of civil and criminal tax controversies including, international tax law, offshore bank accounts and disclosures, civil/criminal examinations, IRS administrative appeals, and other complex litigation. Since 2009, Mr. Patel also serves as Municipal Court Judge for Edison Township, NJ, one of the busiest municipal courts in the state. Edison Township Municipal Court has jurisdiction of vehicular violations, temporary...

In the course of providing legal services to clients, John often assists them in defining, planning, and meeting their personal and business needs in areas including individual and corporate tax planning, business transactions, estate planning and probate administration, and employee benefits. In addition, he provides legal representation to charitable nonprofit corporations, including private foundations and hospitals.

Alec Borenstein is a Partner with the firm. Alec went to Loyola Law School in Los Angeles where he graduated cum laude and in the top 10% of his class. Alec is also a Member of the Order of the Coif. In 2006-2007 Alec served as the Chief Articles Editor for Volume 40 of the Loyola Law Review. Alec is admitted in New York and New Jersey and practices in both states and in the Federal Courts. Alec is also an award-winning speaker and business coach. Alec was recently a business development consultant for The Rainmaker Institute, until Alec...

David Hardin concentrates his practice in the areas of wills, trusts and estates, corporate law and real estate law. His professional practice focuses on advising individual and corporate clients with respect to estate and gift tax planning and estate administration, acquisitions and sales of real estate, and the formation and operation of business enterprises. David is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He served a term as Chair of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Prior to holding that position, he served as a Section...

Daniel S. Swinton, Esq.
Mr. Swinton received his J.D. at Pace University School of Law from which he graduated Cum Laude, as a Ranking Scholar and winner of the American Jurisprudence Award for Excellent Achievement in the Study of Wills and Trusts. Mr. Swinton is a contributing author of "Generations - Planning Your Legacy" (Esperti Peterson Institute 1999) and "Strictly Business" (Quantum Press 2002). In addition to his membership in the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) Mr. Swinton is a member of the American Bar Association, New Jersey State Bar Association, and the Union County Bar Association.

John Cooper concentrates his practice in estate planning, estate and trust administration, estate and trust litigation and real estate. He has served for over ten years as Chairman of the Probate Early Settlement Program of the Superior Court in Union County and is the former Chairman of the District XII Fee Arbitration Program of the New Jersey Supreme Court. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and has often been a lecturer for the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.

James Estabrook has devoted most of his thirty years with the firm attending to the legal requirements of privately held businesses. Jim has developed several areas of emphasis including federal and state estate and gift taxation, ERISA and employee benefits law.

Kenneth A. Vercammen is an Edison, Middlesex County, NJ trial attorney who has published 125 articles in national and New Jersey publications on business and litigation topics. Ken Vercammen is the Author of the American Bar Association book Criminal Law Forms. He is a Certified Municipal Court Law Attorney by the NJ Supreme Court. Kenneth Vercammen was a Speaker at the American Bar Association Annual Meeting. He was a speaker at Handling Drug, DWI & criminal cases. He often lectures to trial lawyers of the American Bar Association, New Jersey State Bar Association and Middlesex County Bar Association. ...

A substantial portion of my practice is devoted to family law, including collaborative divorce and mediation. I strongly believe that divorces settled through the collaborative process lend themselves to faster, more economical and better resolutions, in sharp contrast to the lengthy, costly and adversarial litigation system. Rejecting the uncertainty of putting the fate of their families and futures in the hands of others, the divorcing couple instead choose to work with the collaborative team to reach the best outcomes for themselves and their children, which they craft themselves. In addition to my family practice, I offer divorcing...

Eric Goldberg is Founder and Principal of the Goldberg Law Group, LLC.
He is dedicated to working with his clients on a personal level, and providing them with customized plans that meet their unique needs and goals. Over the years, Eric has learned that the best plans are the result of close collaboration, not only with his clients, but also with other professionals involved in caring for the needs of seniors, special needs adults and children, and veterans. His clients appreciate this approach and consider Eric both a counselor for life and a family friend.

I began my career on my own right after I finished working for a Judge. I had no idea how to be a lawyer or how to be a business man so I jumped into the deep end of the swimming pool on my own. I spoke to other attorneys and I read books to help me learn how to practice law and how to run my office. I sometimes felt that the way I was being taught to run the office was unusual and the reality of being a lawyer was very different from what I had in mind...

I am registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and admitted to the State Bars of New York and New Jersey. I also am admitted to U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of New York, Eastern District of New York, and District of New Jersey. I have a Juris Doctor degree (JD) from Rutgers University School of Law, and a combined degree of Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from Naval Engineering Institute. Prior to forming my own firm, I worked for global financial companies Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase, and served as a...

Steven A. Jayson is an associate attorney with the Law Offices of Alan R. Ackerman. He focuses on business law, landlord-tenant law, estate planning, real estate closings, and commercial collection matters. Prior to this he was the managing attorney of The Jayson Law Group LLC, a general practice law firm located in Union, New Jersey.

Estate planning arranges for the transfer of an individual's estate at the time of death. An estate consists of all property owned at death before it is distributed by will, trust, or intestacy laws. An estate may contain both real property and personal property. Estate planning allows an individual to decide exactly who will benefit from his or her estate, and to what extent. It can also reduce the taxes imposed on the transfer of assets at death.

An experienced estate planning lawyer can help minimize the amount of the estate surrendered to taxes as well as ensure that the management and distribution of the estate is carried out according to your plans. Particularly when your plans are complex and/or you have substantial property or assets, it is important to have an attorney who can ensure that your plan functions the way you intend. Depending on the complexity of your individual situation, your estate planning team may include attorneys, financial planners, bankers and insurance professionals. Some states certify attorneys as estate planning specialists, which means they have met certain requirements for experience, education, and testing in that field.

Fiduciary:
A person or institution who manages money or property for another and who must exercise a standard care imposed by law, i.e., personal representative or executor of an estate, a trustee, etc.

Personal representative:
The person who administers an estate. If named in a will, that person's title is an executor. If there is no valid will, that person's title is an administrator.